Hello Attic lovers!
This week we're going to look at an item that at first blush seems a little dull, but that I still think is fun. Here it is!
Hello Attic lovers!
This week we're going to look at an item that at first blush seems a little dull, but that I still think is fun. Here it is!
A while back I featured an unusual "board game" that really isn't a game at all. It's the 1967 game, Kreskins's ESP, by Milton Bradley. The game is actually a series of tests you can do to test your ESP abilities. As such, it's an interesting look at culture in the late 1960s.
While doing research on it, I discovered that there was an LP record released at the same time as the game (or very soon after). Apparently the game was such a hit, Kreskin decided he could cash in a bit more, so he recorded it as an add on of sorts to the board game. You didn't need one to use the other, but it seems like they were meant to be enjoyed together.
The game is fairly easy to find but the record isn't. However, I put a search on eBay and just last week I got a hit! A sealed unused copy was up for grabs! Here it is!
I tried to find as much info as I could on it, and I stumbled across this review from Billboard - January 20, 1968:
"SSS International tries to capture the success of Kreskin's "ESP" party game on the recorded disk. There are 10 tests here, along with an introduction and instruction band. Depending on the amount of exposure on radio and television and transcendental waves messages emitted, this album could catch many people's fancy."
...and that's it.
As it turns out, the idea of the record is probably more interesting than the record itself. The record features Kreskin droning on in his sleep inducing voice about quasi-scientific theories and simple "tests" to release the powers of your mind. Most involve the pendulum. The weirdest one doesn't, however. It's the seance "table tipping" grand finale. Since nothing really happens on the record (he's just telling you what to do) it's fairly dull.
But why take my word for it? I found the whole album on you tube so you can listen for yourself!
An interesting thing about this album is that although it's fairly rare, it's really not worth much. I paid a little over twenty bucks for my mint copy, shipping included, and that was a full retail price. Why is it so cheap? Well, first of all, just listen to it. Secondly, the only person that would really want it would be some weird collector guy who wanted it to go with his Milton Bradley game.
In other words, I'm happy!
Until next time, keep searching for treasure!
Hello, Attic lovers! This week I'm featuring something that I featured before, but I'm going to go into more depth on it today. Plus, I found out something about it when I was researching it, which is kind of fun!
When I was a kid in the 1970's, another kid at school mentioned that our local hobby shop (yes, those really did exist) had gotten in some HO scale Haunted House kits. I, of course, had to check that out as quickly as possible, having a train layout AND liking haunted-type stuff! In due time, I was the owner of an Alexander Models Haunted House kit!
Building this kit was different from the other kits that I had built because it was made out of balsa wood with cardstock and cast metal doors and windows! It was just the right amount of challenging and cool, so it ended up being a pretty good model.
Unfortunately, it was lost through several moves and adulthood. So, I went to find a replacement, only to find that they were out of production. Turning to eBay, I actually found a bairly started kit! I snatched it up and started building again! Here she is!
Greetings Attic Visitors! Today we have an item from the same lot that gave us the spotlight car! This was a Facebook Marketplace purchase of a plastic tub full of HO train stuff from a few years back. Since I have yet to begin to build my new layout, they've just been sitting in the tub. I figure if I start going through it again, it might encourage me to focus on that future layout a bit!
Anyway, here we have a piece not from Tyco, but from Bachmann; the mighty Diesel Horn!!!
As you know, if you've been reading this blog for a while, I collect Redline Hot Wheels. These cars were the first Hot Wheels made, between 1968 and 1977. Of course I try to get cars in good condition, but sometimes you get examples that could use a little help. Case in point, this 1968 Silhouette!
I got this car in a ten dollar bag of "almost good" cars I found on Facebook Marketplace recently. The bag would have been worth much more, had the cars been in decent shape. But, alas, the nicest car is also one of the most common cars out there (a 1970, black interior, Jack Rabbit Special) so it was a "good" buy, but not a great one. Here's the Jack Rabbit...
One of the cars that got closest to being nice was the 1968 Silhouette pictured below. The blue paint was pretty nice, and even the wheel chrome was pretty intact, however it was missing it's bubble windshield and the front passenger side wheel flopped around like a dead fish. Still, there was something to work with there.
I ordered another windshield from an outfit called Second Chance Redlines that makes reproduction parts. It was 10 bucks, so I effectively doubled my investment, but I thought it was worth it. I intended to slide the new glass into place without disassembling the car, but when I got it I found that this was impossible. Also, that floppy wheel really bugged me, so I decided to drill.
I'll now take you through the process of restoring this car! The fact that we don't have to paint it simplifies things quite a bit, by the way. That would involve stripping off the old paint, buying special Spectraflame paint from The Redline Shop and using an airbrush. I've done it plenty of times, but it's a hassle!
So, here's the car, as found. The new "glass" is there too. You can see how that front wheel is sticking way out at a weird angle.
Flipping it over, we see our targets. The two silver rivets; one in front and one in back. They are all that's holding the car together.